Survey: Xbox Failure Rate Still at 10 Percent

Improvements to the Xbox 360 have apparently cut down on the number of "red ring of death" reports, but the console still requires more repairs than its competitors, according to data from PCMag's Readers' Choice Awards.

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Improvements to the Xbox 360 have apparently cut down on the number of "red ring of death" reports, but the console still requires more repairs than its competitors, according to data from PCMag's Readers' Choice Awards.

Approximately 10 percent of those polled for the survey reported having to take their Xbox 360 in for repairs over the last year, which was twice the rate of its competitors. However, that was a significant improvement over last year, when that number was 23 percent.

Many Xbox users are familiar with the console's "red ring of death," which replaced the glowing green center on the device's power button when the Xbox was on its last legs. Last year, former PCMag Editor Lance Ulanoff experienced the phenomenon after his son completed a Red Dead Redemption marathon on his Xbox 360. Though some Twitter users helpfully suggested that placing it in the freezer for a few minutes would solve the problem (really), he opted to send it in for repairs.

Last year, Microsoft unveiled a "slim" version of its Xbox 360 console at E3, which featured a redesigned case with a bit more ventilation than the original console. It included built-in 802.11n networking and a 250GB hard drive for $299.

Did the revamped console help solve some of those "red ring" problems? According to recent stats, the Xbox console continues to fly off the shelves. Microsoft sold 438,000 Xbox 360 consoles in September for 42 percent of the market, according to NPD Group. In total, consumers spent $534 million on Xbox hardware, software, and accessories during the month, which Microsoft said was twice the amount for its nearest competitor.

Helping boost those sales is the motion-controlled Kinect sensor, which debuted in November 2010. PCMag found that overall satisfaction with the Xbox 360 jumped from 8.1 in 2010 to 8.6 this year out of a possible 10, with the platform's "fun" rating increasing from 8.8 last year to 9.1.

Yesterday, Microsoft said its Kinect SDK for PCs, which will allow developers to create new uses for the motion-based system beyond gaming, will be available early next year.

Chloe Albanesius has been with PCMag.com since April 2007, most recently as Executive Editor for News and Features. Prior to that, she worked for a year covering financial IT on Wall Street for Incisive Media. From 2002 to 2005, Chloe covered technology policy for The National Journal's Technology Daily in Washington, DC. She has held internships at NBC's Meet the Press, washingtonpost.com, the Tate Gallery press office in London, Roll Call, and Congressional Quarterly. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from American University...
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